In 2023, the inaugural edition of Darker Waves, a festival dedicated to new wave nostalgia, came to Huntington Beach, California. New Order and Tears For Fears headlined a single-day bill full of '80s synthpop greats and their spiritual successors. Our buddy Ryan Leas reviewed the show for Stereogum, and he seemed to have a great time. There hasn't been another Darker Waves since then. But three years later, the festival is coming back, and it's got two supremely chill headliners: Morrissey and Smashing Pumpkins. What could possibly go wrong?
Once again, the 2026 edition of Darker Waves will be a single-day affair, with 35 artists on three stages. It goes down Nov. 14 in Huntington Beach. Given how many of these acts have similar sounds and fanbases, that means scheduling conflicts are inevitable. If you go to this fest, you'll probably miss something that you wanted to see. Nevertheless, it's a truly impressive and fascinating collection of names.
New wave veterans on the Darker Waves lineup include the Psychedelic Furs, Simple Minds, Adam Ant, Gary Numan, Soft Cell, Missing Persons, Modern English, the Motels, and Christian Death. There's also a heavy contingent of old-school punk and hardcore bands, including Bad Religion, the Circle Jerks, the Buzzcocoks, and Marky Ramone. Other acts don't come from the '80s, but you can see how they might fit the general vibe: Manic Street Preachers, Silversun Pickups, EMF, Spacehog, Gene, the Sounds. And then there's a smattering of newer revivalist types, including Cold Cave, TR/ST, Mariachi El Bronx, and Purest Form. You'll find all the details here.
